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Gear / Technical Help => Post-Processing, Computer / Streaming / Internet Devices & Related Activity => Topic started by: tapeheadtoo on October 09, 2007, 07:38:40 PM

Title: Mac OS X: Syncing audio with video with Final Cut Express?
Post by: tapeheadtoo on October 09, 2007, 07:38:40 PM

I'm trying to sync audio with video (same concert, two difference sources).  I am able to "sort of" sync things up at one point, but then it gradually becomes out of sync.  I am using Final Cut Express HD, and also have Soundtrack 1.5 .  I know there MUST be a way to 1) sync accurately and 2) correct for increasing lag.   Or do I need Final Cut Pro to do this?    ???       I'm so frustrated!

Edit: Sorry mods, this should probably go under Photo/Video, but I can't delete my own topic.

Title: Re: Mac OS X: Syncing audio with video with Final Cut Express?
Post by: hummat on October 10, 2007, 08:50:55 AM

You don't need FCP.  FCE should work.  I have found that bouncing out to Soundtrack isn't the best way to go when trying to sync audio to video. 

In FCP you can right-click the audio track and change it's speed.  My guess is that the drift you are talking about is only a frame or two. Tweaking the speed may get you in sync.  If you are dealing with one long track vs. tracked songs. I would break up the audio into songs work that way.  When I'm just a hair out of sync, I have found that sometimes just overlapping the songs by a frame gets me to where I want to be.

-jay

Title: Re: Mac OS X: Syncing audio with video with Final Cut Express?
Post by: nic on October 10, 2007, 11:39:48 AM

while I have never personally mixed together different audio sources for video, you must remember that audio frame rates are different than video frame rates.
you would need to account for that and the fact that the different audio sources had different ADC clocks resulting in "drift" amongst the sources.

Title: Re: Mac OS X: Syncing audio with video with Final Cut Express?
Post by: willndmb on October 10, 2007, 12:18:03 PM

i have NEVER got the "change speed" method to work personally
most of the time it ends up making to sound distorted in some way (if you do it to the entire track)
and rather its the entire track or not its hard to figure out the change in speed you need to get it lined up again
so imo, as suggested, break the track up into tracks based on song (if they are not already)
what i pref to do, and works most of the time, is in between songs overlap the crowd slightly to get it back on track and matched up

Title: Re: Mac OS X: Syncing audio with video with Final Cut Express?
Post by: tapeheadtoo on October 11, 2007, 04:09:02 PM

Thanks for the input everyone.  I will try to break the audio into separate tracks and give it a go that way.

+T's all around...